I do not have Alzheimer’s Disease. I know that because I took a test this morning (Wordle) and passed with what I will call a B.
Why bring that up? Because people with AD can’t remember things from 5 minutes ago, but can recall things from 50 years ago.
Something from 50 years ago (or so) grabbed my attention a little while ago – thus, I had to demonstrate that I don’t have AD.
Before the ballpoint pen, there was a common writing instrument called a fountain pen. The fountain pen is nearly extinct now, but you have probably heard of it. To fill it, you dipped the tip into a bottle of ink (also nearly extinct now) and the pen was designed to suck up the liquid ink into its reservoir.
For about 20 years starting in the mid-1930s, an all-Black group of musicians called The Ink Spots performed and recorded for American audiences. “If I Didn’t Care” is the #8 best-selling single of all time. Although nobody ever accused The Ink Spots of being rockers, the group was inducted into the Rock-and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989.
Now that you know something about The Ink Spots, and you know what a fountain pen is, I will tell you what off-color ditty from decades ago popped into my head this morning. It’s a song. I’ll write the words; I am not able to write the tune that’s in my head.
St. Louie woman
Was born to sin
She went to bed
With a fountain pen
The pen cap broke
The ink flowed free
Now she is the mother
Of the Ink Spots three*.
*The Inks Spots were 4 guys. Go figure.
